KUALA LUMPUR: SilTerra Malaysia Sdn Bhd, a Malaysian semiconductor wafer foundry and IGSS GaN (IGaN), a Singapore based technology developer in gallium nitride on silicon technologies (GaN-on-Si), recently inked technology transfer partnership to introduce high-volume manufacturing capabilities aimed in reducing production cost in larger wafer areas.
This technology accelerator will spur the conversion of pure silicon and compound-based technologies into GaN-on-Si, which will provide long-term business competitiveness of power for radio frequency semiconductor companies.
“This collaboration enables customers in power semiconductor to leapfrog into GaN-on-Si technology devices, unlocking access to a US$12 billion power device market.
“We are already in discussions with other customers interested in our platform, particularly those in the power, radio frequency and sensors market, all of whom are keen to accelerate their access into the rapidly growing GaN-on-Si market,” said IGaN chairman and chief executive officer of Raj Kumar.
SilTerra’s achievement in delivering a process that allows for reduced costs represents the partnership’s commitment in achieving best yielding process and capacity assurance to fulfill customers’ business expectations.
"SilTerra also looks to solutions for the broader semiconductor space in Malaysia,” said SilTerra chief executive officer Firdaus Abdullah.
In adopting this solution, power semiconductor players can benefit from GaN-on-Si’s potential as a green-enabling technology by minimising power conversion losses.
The partnership will see mass production of this new technology in early 2019 and grow employment opportunities, covering manufacturing process integration, and equipment engineering.
GaN-on-Si devices, used for high power density, wireless power transfer applications allow for higher server power, a technology designed for wireless charging applications far beyond low power applications such as cell phones and laptops.
The technology additionally enables greater energy savings and increased power density in data centres, significantly reducing operating and capital expenditures in areas of energy consumption.
GaN-on-Si’s technology was recently demonstrated at the Applied Power Electronics Conference 2018 conference and exhibition in San Antonio, Texas.